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The Columbus Board of Education banned any use of tobacco on district property — including in its vehicles — at last night’s meeting.

The seven-member school board voted unanimously to expand its ban on smoking to include an outright ban on all tobacco use, adding smokeless products such as “dip,” “chew” and “snuff” to its previous ban on cigarettes, cigars and pipes.

Superintendent Gene Harris said she will implement the change starting with the next school year, to give everyone time to understand the new policy and its implications.

Under the plan, students are not allowed to possess any tobacco product on district property. Employees and visitors are not allowed to use tobacco products, inside or outside buildings, including after school hours and at any school-sponsored events.

Signs will be put up to notify the public of the new policy, which will include a ban on “promotional items that promote the use of tobacco products,” including clothing, bags, lighters or other personal items. All such items will be banned from events, including sports matches.

Students caught violating the policy could be sent to the building principal or receive health counseling.

Staff members who violate the policy face discipline that could include a warning, a written reprimand “or other appropriate disciplinary action.”

Visitors will be asked to refrain from tobacco use or to leave district property, and they could be escorted off the premises by law enforcement or cited for trespassing if they refuse.

In other health-related business, the school board voted 6-1 to approve $157,500 to purchase $75 Target gift cards for district employees who participate in biometric screenings and complete online health assessments.

The program will offer incentives to employees to become more aware of their health and health risks, the ordinance says. It also will allow the district to “collect aggregate health-related data which can be used to design relevant health and wellness programs with the aim of reducing health-care costs.” “It’s part of a comprehensive wellness strategy that we have,” Harris said. “Because we’re self-insured, obviously we want to minimize our claims.”

Board member Mike Wiles opposed the gift cards, arguing that the district can’t afford them or quantify how much money it could save by instituting the program.

“We’re looking at a levy and we’re telling the community that we’re broke” at the same time the district is giving away gift cards, Wiles said.

Wiles also voted against the health screenings themselves, which will cost the district $197,500 over three years.

He was also the only “no” vote on a $28,000 payment to send 16 employees to Orlando, Fla., for a leadership workshop May 3-5.